Centrifugal feed unit for crusher and method



Oct. 19, 1965 Filed NOV. 18, 1963 R. J. GASPARAC ETAL CENTRIFUGAL FEED UNIT FOR CRUSHER AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OCf- 19, 1935 R. J. GAsPARAc ETAL 3,212,720

CENTRIFUGAL FEED UNIT FOR CRUSHER AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1963 United States Patent 3,212,720 CENTRIFUGAL FEED UNIT FOR CRUSHER AND METHOD Rudolph J. Gasparac, Milwaukee, and Howard M. Zoerb, Cudalry, Wis., assignors t Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Nov. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 324,218 11 Claims. (Cl. 241-30) This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 222,922, filed September 11, 1962, now abandoned, which was a continuation of application Serial No. 29,633, led May 17, 1960, now forfeited.

This invention is in the eld of material reduction machines and is concerned with a cone crusher. More specically, the invention is concerned with a means and method for independently feeding and distributing material in accordance with a prearranged rate or schedule to a crushing cavity defined between the liner and mantle of a cone Crusher for maximum crushing elliciency relative to the rate of crushing action in the cavity.

A primary object of the invention is an independent feed distributor for a cone crusher.

Another object is a method of feeding and distributing material to a crushing cavity for maximum reduction efficiency.

Another object is an independent feed distributor which may be set at a rate independent of the rate of operation of the head.

Another object is a feed distributor for a cone Crusher which insures that the feed is distributed in a generally horizontal plane at all times regardless of head operation.

Another object is a new and improved crushing method.

Other objects Will appear from time to time in the ensuing specification and drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a vertical section of a Crusher;

FIGURE 2 is an axial section, on an enlarged scale, of the feed distributor in FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a section along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 1, a cone crusher has been shown including a main frame supporting a tilting ring 12 on a flange 14 at its upper end. The tilting ring is pulled down by a collection of springs 16 or the like disposed about the crusher. A bowl 18 is screw-threaded into the tilting ring and removably supports a liner 20 which defines part of a crushing cavity 22 with a mantle 24. The mantle is supported on a head 26 which in turn is mounted on a shaft 28. The shaft may be mounted in an eccentric 29 which is rotated through a suitable drive to gyrate the head about a focal point 30, the head swiveling in a spherical socket 31 so as to be gyrated without being rotated. The mantle is held in place through suitable lock rings and sleeves which are in turn held down by a head nut 32 above which is positioned a combination counterweight and plate 33. It will be noted that the head nut and counterweight rise above the crushing cavity and, in fact, are more or less on a level with a feed cone 34 which has a more or less cylindrical upper portion and is truncated or tapered inwardly in a somewhat thickened lower funneling portion 36. y

While a particular type of crusher has been shown and described, it should be understood that this is merely representative of a number of crushers which may include or incorporate the invention.

Material to be ground can be fed from above by an inlet spout which lets the material fall freely by gravity in a more or less axial direction until it strikes the plate 33 mounted on the head nut 32. The plate is normally constructed and arranged to distribute material into the crushing cavity. But since the head is not rotated but only gyrates and any rotation that it has is caused by a slight frictional drag with the bowl liner, segregation of ice feed takes place which results in non-uniform crushing around the crushing cavity. It has proved diiiicult in the past to throw the material outwardly from the head nut or feed plate with any force. This has led to complications in some sort of a positive drive to the feed plate to make it rotate independently of the heads gyration. The frictional drag of the head will only cause it to creep when it rotates and this rotation is so slow that it cannot be used to spray the material outwardly against the feed cone in a homogeneous mixture so that it will enter the crushing cavity from the outside or in a direction somewhat radially inwardly rather than a direct free fall by gravity.

As shown in FIGURE l, we provide suitable supporting bolts 38 or the like which support a cross or top platform 40 which in turn supports a feed distributor 472. The distributor is suspended or extends down from the top plate and, as shown in FIGURE l, discharges or sprays material in a generally horizontalvdirection or plane at a point more or less within the feed cone and directly above the head so that the material falls freely by gravity as it arcs over and down against the funnel portion 36 of the feed cone.

The distributor is shown in detail in FIGURE 2 and may include an upper flange 44 bolted or otherwise connected to the top plate 40. A depending sleeve 46, integral with the flange 44, or otherwise, forms the frame or foundation of the distributor. A sleeve 48 is supported for rotation on the frame by suitable bearings 50 or the like with a bottom plate 56 removably connected by bolts 58 or the like to the sleeve. We may provide seals 60, labyrinth or otherwise, at both the top and bottom of the rotatable sleeve 48 so that the space around the bearings is totally enclosed and may be supplied with lubricant or grease by a suitable fitting 62. A flange 64 on the outer sleeve rotates with it and a distributor or mixing chamber, indicated generally at 66, may be connected to it by bolts 68 or the like.

The mixing chamber may include a top plate 70 and a bottom plate 72 with a cylinder 74 integral between them. The cylinder has a side opening 76 which allows material from the chamber to be thrown out or distributed.

We may also provide a center chute or liner 78 having a top ilange 80 to rest on top of the center sleeve 46 which is a wear element and may be removed and replaced.

The outer sleeve 48 may have a suitable gear 82 which is driven by a cog belt 84 or the like from a separate drive motor 86 having a drive pinion 88 and mounted on the top plate. The drive motor may be electric, hydraulic, or otherwise. But the point is that it is totally separate from the motor driving the crushing head, and accordingly may be set to drive the feed distributor at a rate which is totally independent of the crushing rate.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the mixing chamber 66 has a side opening or outlet 76 with the bottom plate 72 being formed with an extension or lip 90 opposite the opening. For example, in FIGURE 3 the opening is shown as approximately 60 in extent with the lip extension 90 extending a substantial extent peripherally on each side of the opening. Further, the lip extends well beyond the normal circumference 92 of the flange 72. Thus, the material in the chamber 66 will pass through the opening and will be given a substantial centrifugal thrust by the extended lip or distributor 90.

The use, operation and function of the invention are as follows:

According to certain crushing methods, it is desirable that the feed to the crushing cavity be made up of a certain proportion and distribution of coarser particles and finer particles to prevent segregation and uneven crushing. It is quite important that segregation does not take place and that the thorough intermixing of the coarse and fine particles should be delivered and distributed to the crushing cavity on a cyclical basis which is related to the crushing action, all ofY which is known. It is highly-important that a thorough intermixing of particles of different sizes be maintained and distributed to the cavity on a uniform cyclical basis. This has been diicult in the past since the slow creeping rotation of the head or the somewhat more rapid rotation of the eccentric has required a complicated .gearing to a distributor arrangement which was directly dependent upon the rate of operation of the crushing head.

In the present arrangement, we completely divorce these two. The rate of the crushing action and the operation of the head may be made totally independent of the rate of feed and distribution. The reverse is also true. The intermixing of coarse and fine particles and the rate of feed and distribution and, in fact, the over-al1 operation of the feeder and distributor may be made or set at a rate which is totally independent of the crushing action. The two may and should be related so that crushing will -be carried out at maximum efliciency.

In essence, we provide an independent distributor which is freely located more or less directly above the crushing cavity and somewhat aligned with it. The separate distributor has its own drive which may be set to provide different rates of distribution, depending upon whether wet or dry material is being suppliedor dependent upon other factors so that the distribution to the crushing cavity will be at an optimum rate at all times.

It is also important to no'te that the distribution is lgenerally in a horizontal plane. There is no wobble or oscillation of the distribution plane since its distributor is totally independent and separated from the head. The distributor itself can be fully and evenly balanced and the material will be discharged from it in an initial generally horizontal plane, -but after a limited amount of travel will be allowed to fall freely by gravity until it contacts the outer region or zone of the feed cone. Thereafter the material will move inwardly or will be funneled into the crushing cavity rby the feed cone and will be deposited on top of the material already present in the crushing cavity.

The basic distribution may be easily changed by the operator in the field depending upon the over-all performance of the machine and the condition of the feed to it. The operator may observe the degree of reduction and separation and adjust the distribution accordingly.

The feed distributor itself is the essence of simplicity. The chamber is rotated about a generally upright axis which is coincident with the crusher axis. The material fed down through the center chute or liner will, due to the handling equipment used, be somewhat segregated. In the chamber 66, coarse and fines are thoroughly and completely mixed. Since there is only one exit as at 76, the coarse and lines leave together. Thus, the distributor provides a fully mixed single spray of material with no opportunity for the material to segregate itself between coarse and fines. Thus, all portions of the crushing cavity will receive a fully intermixed supply of material .which will result in uniform crushing action throughout an even wear on the machine.

Further, under certain circumstances the spray of material from the distributor is interrupted in its free flight by the peripheral edge of the plate or counterweight 33. This may well depend upon the relationship between the .speed of rotation of the distributing chamber and the ,basisduring its free liight to be thoroughly mixed by further dispersion before falling into the crushing cavity. In a sense, the material leaves the distributor and bounces Ao of the edge of the tlnterweight 33. Further, the

degree and extent of interruption of the material in free flight may be controlled by regulating the speed of the distributor relative to the rate of gyration of the crushing head as well as the timing of one to the other.

While we have shown and described the preferred form and suggested several other variations of the invention, it should be understood that suitable additional modifications, changes, substitutions and alterations may be made without departing from the inventions fundamental theme. We, therefore, wish that the invention be unrestricted, except as by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A method of operating a crusher having a crushing cavity defined between an overhanging bowl and a somewhat conical head mounted for gyratory movement only, including the steps of defining a distribution zone above the crushing cavity generally aligned vertically with the axis of the head, feeding material to the distribution zone on a basis indiscriminate as to size, gyrating the head at a predetermined rate of speed, rotating the distribution zone about its axis coincident with the axis of the head without gyratory movement and totally independent of the rate of gyration of the head, allowing the material in the distribution zone to be centrifuged to the outside by centrifugal force, restraining the material from further outward movement of the outside of the distribution zone, providing a release point on the periphery of the distribution zone, and allowing the material to move through the release point under centrifugal force and to fly freely out and down to the crushing cavity.

2. The method of claim 1 further characterized by and including the step of providing further radial thrust to the material after it passes through the release point in the distribution zone for a limited radial distance, and thereafter allowing the material to freely proceed to the crushing cavity.

3. In a crusher, a frame, an overhanging bowl in the frame, a gyratory head mounted in the frame defining a crushing cavity with the bowl, power means for `gyrating the head at a predetermined rate, a feed cone above the crushing cavity arranged to deliver material by gravity to the cavity, a feed distributor above the cavity generally within the feed cone and generally aligned axially with the head but spaced from it, and separate power means for rotating the distributor so that material will be fed to the cavity at a rate independent of the rate of gyration of the head.

4. The structure of claim 3 further characterized in that the feed distributor includes an annular chamber with a laterally effective outlet, a frame rotatably supporting the chamber, the chamber being removably connected to the frame so that it may be removed and replaced when worn, and a replaceable chute through the frame` to supply material to the chamber.

5. A method of operating a crusher having a bowl overhanging and defining a crushing cavity with a gyratory head, including the steps of gyrating the :head lat a predetermined rate, feeding material to the crushing cavity from a point above it, distributing the material generally perpendicular to the axis of the crushing cavity in a plane above it and allowing the material to fall by gravity to the crushing cavity, maintaining the distributor generally in a horizontal plane at all times without regard to the gyratory movement of the head, and setting the distribution at a rate independent of the ,rate of gyratory movement of the head.

6. In a crusher, a frame, an overhanging bowl in the frame, a gyratory head mounted in the frame defining a crushing cavity with the bowl, power means for gyrating the head at a predetermined rate, a feed cone above the crushing cavity arranged to deliver material by gravity to the cavity, a feed distributor above the cavity generally within the feed cone and generally aligned axially with the head but spaced from it, including a rotatable feed distributing plate spaced above the head, an upstanding axial sleeve mounted on said plate for rotation therewith, a feed distributing opening in said sleeve adjacent the plate, a stationary sleeve within said rotatable sleeve, bearing means positioned between said sleeves, a generally axial removable wearing chute positioned within said stationary sleeve to direct material onto the feed distributing plate, and separate power means for rotating the distributor plate so that material is thrown outwardly substantially perpendicular of the axis of the cone into engagement at a generally uniform height with the cone and falls into the cavity at a rate independent of the rate of gyration of the head.

7. In a Crusher, a frame, an overhanging bowl in said frame, a gyratory head mounted in the frame and delining a crushing cavity with the bowl, means for gyrating the head at a predetermined rate, a feed cone above the crushing cavity arranged to deliver material by gravity inwardly to the cavity, and an independent feed distributor structure above the cavity including a sub-frame extending above and across the cavity, bearing means on the sub-frame, a feed distributor mounted for rotation about an axis generally concentric with the axis of the gyratory head, and including a concentric feed box located below said sleeve and mounted for rotation in unison therewith, said feed box having a floor, a circumferential wall extending upwardly from said Hoor, and an aperture in said wall adapted for the centrifugal escape of material fed downwardly to the feed box, the floor being extended outwardly beyond said wall in line with said aperture, whereby to provide an extension or lip adapted to deliver a centrifugal impulse to material escaping through the aperture and passing over the lip.

8. In a feed distributor for a crusher having a crushing bowl and a generally conic head gyratable within the bowl, a frame spanning the crushing cavity and located above and out of Contact with the crushing head, a bearing assembly on the frame having an axis generally coaxial with the axis of the head, a sleeve rotatable on said bearing assembly, a mixing chamber concentric and rotatable with said sleeve, means for feeding material downwardly through said sleeve into said mixing chamber, said mixing chamber having a bottom wall, a circumferential side Wall, and an aperture in said side wall, and means for rotating said sleeve and mixing chamber independently of the movement of the head.

9. The structure of claim S characterized by the inclusion of an extending lip for the mixing chamber extending outwardly from the single aperture and formed and adapted to impart centrifugal acceleration to material escaping through the aperture.

10. The structure of claim 8 characterized by a fixed inner sleeve mounted on the frame and upwardly open to receive material for passage to the mixing chamber, and a surrounding rotatably mounted outer sleeve from the lower end of which the mixing chamber is suspended.

11. The structure of claim 10 characterized by the provision in said fixed inner sleeve of an axially, upwardly removable wearing chute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 873,219 12/07 Edison. 1,154,532 9/15 Moss 241-109 X 1,560,800 ll/ Hoberecht 241-225 2,770,354 ll/56 Morrison. 2,917,247 12/59 Gruender 241-202 o I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner. 

3. IN A CRUSHER, A FRAME, AN OVERHANGING BOWL IN THE FRAME, A GYRATORY HEAD MOUNTED IN THE FRAME DEFINING A CRUSHING CAVITY WITH THE BOWL, POWER MEANS FOR GYRATING THE HEAD AT A PREDETERMINED RATE, A FEED CONE ABOVE THE CRUSHING CAVITY ARRANGED TO DELIVER MATERIAL BY GRAVITY TO THE CAVITY, A FEED DISTRIBUTOR ABOVE THE CAVITY GENEALLY WITHIN THE FEED CONE AND GENERALLY ALIGNED AXIALLY WITH THE HEAD BUT SPACED FROM IT, AND SEPARATE POWER MEANS FOR ROTATING THE DISTRIBUTOR SO THAT MATERIAL WILL BE FED TO THE CAVITY AT A RATE INDEPENDENT OF THE RATE OF GYRATION OF THE HEAD.
 5. A METHOD OF OPERATING A CRUSHER HAVING A BOWL OVERHANGING AND DEFINING A CRUSHING CAVITY WITH A GYRATORY HEAD, INCLUDING THE STEPS OF GYRATING THE HEAD AT A PREDETERMINED RATE, FEEDING MATERIAL TO THE CRUSHING CAVITY FROM A POINT ABOVE IT, DISTRIBUTING THE MATERIAL GENERALLY 